Electroluminescent lamp shade and lamp



March 7, 1967 ow I 3,308,290

ELECTROLUMINESCENT LAMP SHADE AND LAMP Filed Sept. 21, 1964 INVENTOR GEORGE D. BROWN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 01 3,308,290 ELECTROLUMINESCENT LAMP SHADE AND LAMP George D. Brown, 7001 Bancroft St., Toledo, Ohio 43617 Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,839 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-108) This invention relates to lamps, such as table lamps, but is particularly concerned with a lamp which can be used for normal illuminating purposes but in addition can be converted for use as a night light or a light of reduced luminosity when a dim light is adequate.

An object is to produce a dual purpose lamp of the above character which resembles and can be used for example, as an ordinary table or floor lamp but which is uniquely designed so that a portion of the lamp can be readily rendered electroluminescent for use as a night light to afiFord a soft, gentle and dim light.

Another object is to produce a lamp shade which in addition to its normal use can serve as a soft, dim light by being rendered Luminescent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a composite view of a table lamp with a portion of the shade broken away; and

FIGURE 2 is a top perspective view of the lamp shade broken away to show the several plies.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a table lamp which has a base 10, to which leads an electrical cord 12 from an AC. 110 volt source of electrical power. Rising from the base is a tubular pedestal through which the electrical cord extends to a conventional lamlp bulb receiving internally screw-threaded socket 13 on the upper end of the pedestal.

It will be understood that ordinarily a lamp bulb is screwed into the socket member 13, but in this instance an internally screw-threaded adapter 14 having a depending externally screw-threaded nipple 15 is adapted to connect to the socket member 13. A lamp bulb 16 is screwed into the adapter 14 and may be switched on and oif by switch 17 of the usual type such, for example, as may be rotatably manipulated. The adapter 14 is also provided with a receptacle 18 on one side to which current is conducted in a conventional manner. The receptacle L8 in this instance in designed to receive a twopronged plug 19, so that electrical current may be conveyed therefrom through a cord 20 to a rheostat switch 21, which is electrically connected to a lamp shade S. The shades S may be mounted on the lamp structure in any suitable manner as, for example, by spring fingers (not shown) engaging the lamp bulb 1-6 in a manner well known in the art.

The lamp shade S is of a unique multiply construction and normally serves the purpose usually assigned to a lamp shade, such as keeping the glare of the lamp from the eyes and directing the rays by reflection upon the table or adjacent area. However, in this instance the lamp shade is uniquely formed so as to serve as an electroluminescent surface to provide a night or dim light. For this purpose the innermost ply 22 of the shade is formed of electrical insulating sheet material, such as an oriented polyester film known as Mylar and sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. On the outer side of the ply 22 is the next outer ply of sheet material 23, which consists of foil of aluminum or other electrically conductive material serving both as a conductor and a ICC light reflector. On the outer side of the ply 23 is a ply 24 in the form of a sheet dielectric containing particles of phosphor. This is an electroluminescent material and can be a combination of any of the well known electroluminescent phosphors, such for example as zinc sulphide, with a suitable activator such as copper powder held in an appropriate vehicle, such as epoxy resin. Other phosphors, activators and vehicles can be used to eifect different degree-s of brightness, lamp life, and color. The dielectric may consist of Mylar or TFE fluorocarbon sold as, Teflon by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.

On the outer side of the ply 24 is a ply 25 which consists of a transparent conductive film in the form of a sheet or layer of plastic material such, for example, as vinyl or polyester coated with a thin layer of electrical conductive material, such as tin oxide or other vaporized metal which is bonded to the plastic and is sufficiently thin to form a substantially translucent film.

On the outer side of the ply 25 is a ply 26 of a translucent plastic electrically insulating material such as Mylar. On the outside of the ply 26 is the outermost ply of the multiply structure and this ply is also of plastic electrical insulating material, such as Mylar, and this ply is translucent and may contain whatever ornamental design it is desired to display. At the top and bottom of the lamp shade are non-luminous areas 28 along the edges to afford space for the attachment of the contact elements. It should be understood that the wires 20 and 20* forming the lead 20 are electrically connected respectively to the aluminum foil ply 23 and the conductive film or ply 25. For this purpose a copper strip 20' extends the vertical dimension of the shade on the outer side of the ply 23 and the wire 20 is connected to such strip. Similarly the wire 20 is connected to a copper strip 20" arranged on the inside of the ply 25. The several plies may be built one upon the other or may be formed separately and adhered to each other in the sequence above described. The outer plies serve not only for electric insulation but also to give body or stability to the shade. The shade may be adapted to reflect the light rays outwardly or inwardly or enable the light rays to pass in either direction. This is controlled by arrangement of the ply 23 to be disposed on the inner side as illustrated or on the outer side or by employing a transparent conductive ply permitting the light rays to pass in both directions.

It should be understood that when the rheostat switch 21 is turned to the on position, a pulsing electrical field between the plies 23 and 25 causes the phosphor material in the ply 24 to glow, this phosphor material being embedded in the translucent dielectric.

From the above description it will be manifest that I have produced an exceedingly simple and practical lamp which can be used as normally intended for illumination purposes but can also be employed as a night or subdued light by manipulating the switch 21 to cause the shade S to become luminescent. The degree of luminescence may be controlled by the rheostat 21. Thus in a simple and efiicient manner the same lamp structure has a duofold use both as an ordinary lighting device and a luminescent light, which produces a most desirable effect.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and selection of materials may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a socket, an adapter fitting said socket and adapted to receive a lamp bulb, circuit means for delivering alternating electrical potential to said lamp bulb, a switch means in said circuit for selectively energizing 3 4 said lamp bulb, a lamp shade to enclose said lamp bulb, References Cited by the Examiner said shade being of multiply structure and certain plies UNITED STATES PATENTS cooperating to render said shade electroluminescent, and

a switch-controlled electrical conductive means leading 23501462 6/1944 Johns 240 X from said adapter to said certain plies for delivering elec- 5 31937337 2/1962 Motson 313-108 X meal current therem 3,453,173 J/1966 Levetan 3l3108 X 2. The organization as claimed in claim 1 in which the FOREIGN PATENTS outer plies of the lamp shade are of electric insulation material and the intermediate plies consist of spaced electrically conductive material and a ply therebetween con- 4 i i sisting of a dielectric containing electroluminescent 10 NORTON ANSHER Prlmmy Exammer material. C. C. LOGAN, Assistant Examiner.

673,028 10/1963 Canada. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SOCKET, AN ADAPTER FITTING SAID SOCKET AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A LAMP BULB, CIRCUIT MEANS FOR DELIVERING ALTERNATING ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL TO SAID LAMP BULB, A SWITCH MEANS IN SAID CIRCUIT FOR SELECTIVELY ENERGIZING SAID LAMP BULB, A LAMP SHADE TO ENCLOSE SAID LAMP BULB, SAID SHADE BEING OF MULTIPLY STRUCTURE AND CERTAIN PLIES COOPERATING TO RENDER SAID SHADE ELECTROLUMINESCENT, AND A SWITCH-CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVE MEANS LEADING FROM SAID ADAPTER TO SAID CERTAIN PLIES FOR DELIVERING ELECTRICAL CURRENT THERETO. 